Sewell family creates a business that also serves people

Many family businesses struggle to survive into a second or third generation, but CKS Packaging Inc. is now working on a fourth.

The Atlanta-based company is the namesake of Charles K. Sewell, described as a living legend in the packaging business by his son and current CEO John R. Sewell.

The younger Sewell, who is not the youngest Sewell in the family business, says he's still learning from his 84-year-old father. And he believes he also has an obligation to also teach younger people in the company, family or not.

“At 84, it's kind of like going to class every day and getting a philosophy about life and about business and about people,” John Sewell said about working with his father.

“Just drawing on the time he's been in the business. That's how we're successful. So we do the same thing with our children and other family members. You are in a constant coaching mode of trying to teach them how to run the business. And that's what we try to do with all of our employees,” he said.

Charles Sewell should be a familiar name for folks in the plastic packaging industry as he's had his hand in two of the most ubiquitous products ever introduced.

His first company, Sewell Plastics, developed the first two-liter beverage container in 1977 for Coca-Cola Co.

And, while he did not invent the plastic dairy gallon jug, he played a huge role in helping popularize it through that first company.

“He was out there and helped push it in the Southeast in the ‘60s and early ‘70s. He was a leader, he was out there on the front line,” John Sewell said.

Charles Sewell sold Sewell Plastics in 1970 and stayed on as president until 1982. After a three-year non-compete agreement ended, he jumped back into the market to create CKS Packaging.

“What's amazing about my dad is he's built two companies to over $300 million,” John Sewell said. CKS Packaging, during the past couple of years, has actually had sales of more than $400 million. The company now has 21 manufacturing plants and about 2,000 employees.

“Not only has he done it once, he's done it twice. It's all about having great people and great leaders like himself produce other great leaders. There are several presidents of large plastic companies that have worked for my dad,” John Sewell said.

Charles Sewell, a private man, declined to be directly interviewed for this story. But he did agree to answer a couple of questions through his son in an email.

For him, faith and work stand together.

“At the inception of CKS Packaging my faith, belief and relationship with God resulted in my making a covenant with him. This covenant included a commitment to tithe as well as make additional gifts and offerings to help those in need,” Charles Sewell said in the email.

“Initially, CKS Packaging was to be an extremely small business but God had other plans for us. CKS Packaging, beyond my expectations, allowed me to bring in other family members to fill key positions. These family members are committed to continued implementation of the original covenants made at the inception of the company,” Charles Sewell said.

The Sewell family's faith also pushed the company to create the Second Chance Program that gives convicts an opportunity to work and rebuild their lives after release.

“We put them to work and give them a second chance. It's been tremendous,” John Sewell said. “They made two or three wrong decisions in life and all of a sudden they are separated from their families and they lost everything. We're very excited about it and it's a positive thing for the community.”

About six months into the program, there are about 30 people working for the company through the program at two plants in Georgia and one in Texas. Hopes are to expand.

Creating the program is an extension of the Sewell family's faith in God and service to the community. The company follows what John Sewell called the Chick-fil-A model that does not operate on Sundays.

The company certainly has the work to keep it open seven days a week, but purpose is more important than profit.

“That's a key thing for him and the family. We feel like we've been really blessed,” said John Sewell, who also has two brothers in the business. Both Drew Sewell and Scott Sewell are chief operating officers at the firm. Drew Sewell even established his own ministry called Maximum Impact Love Inc., which aims to make a difference in the Atlanta area.

“The whole culture of the company is about family. A great company is only as good as its people and we feel like we've got great people. We try to treat individuals like family. Even today, when we go into a factory, we all hug our employees and tell them how much we appreciate them,” John Sewell said.

Read an overview of family-owned businesses and find links to other profiles.